Sometimes consequences are necessary, but beware what messages you’re actually sending to your child. Despite outward appearances, punishments are not the best way to correct or teach children. Punishing a child for bad behaviour or a misdemeanour does not teach him or her what they did wrong, only that if they do X, they will be […]

9 years ago

Many young girls are entering the first stage of puberty as early as eight years of age. Now, scientists say that puberty hormones might have educational implications. New findings from the University of California, Berkeley, has revealed for the first time how puberty hormones might impede some aspects of learning in children. Linda Wilbrecht, an associate […]

9 years ago

A nursing research team in Singapore have developed a unique mobile app that provides much needed postnatal support for new mums and dads. A nursing studies team from the National University of Singapore’s school of medicine have developed a mobile app to deliver postnatal educational programmes and provide postnatal supportive care on the go. Findings from […]

9 years ago

Can I have a triple-venti-soy-no-foam-latte without the fake intimacy please? So, we’re all aware that there is a certain branded coffee shop chain who practically hold your latte hostage until you’ve told them your name. I’m not an unfriendly person, honestly I’m not. But you don’t need to know my name barista person. We’re not making […]

9 years ago

Summer is fast approaching. And before we know it the little ones will be finished up with school. We can’t wait for days spent at the beach, picnics outside and weekend family getaways to the countryside. While it’s lovely to have a bit of downtime in the summer months, it’s also good to have some […]

9 years ago

Most wobblers start to stand without support from around nine months old, but these enthusiastic Scandies say that infants can stand without support even before they are four months old. Professors Hermundur Sigmundsson, Håvard Lorås, and Monika Haga, professors at Norwegian University of Science and Technology’s departments of psychology and neuromedicine, say that three to five-month-old infants […]

9 years ago

How many times a day do you have the ‘sharing is caring’ conversation with your smallies? Trying to explain altruistic behaviour to children can be a challenge, especially when they realise sharing can come at a personal cost. But, it turns out that sharing makes our human brains happy. And because we feel happy, we […]

9 years ago

Are you heading back home in the car with the kids today? Dreading the cooped-up crankiness and endless “are we there yets”? Here are 10 ways to make the car journey a little less tedious. And remember mamas: It’s not the destination, it’s the journey… 1. The ‘Find It’ game If things are getting a little […]

9 years ago

If the Bank Holiday weekend has you suffering and experiencing waves of ‘the fear’, don’t worry because we are here to help. This is the sweet solution you need. This healthy green elixir will conquer dehydration and soothe away any troubling thoughts leftover from an over-enthusiastic weekend. Oh, and it tastes delicious too! Ingredients: Two handfuls of lettuce (preferably romaine) […]

9 years ago

What daddy’s little girl wants, daddy’s little girl gets. When John Stoddard was asked to make a spaceship for his six-year-old daughter’s school ‘drive-in’ movie day, he went lightyears beyond what was expected. The doting father and Star Wars fan constructed a hugely impressive Empire Strikes Back ‘snowspeeder’ replica for his little girl to take to her […]

9 years ago

Medical researchers are using animal models in an attempt to understand human embryo implantation failure, something of a mystery in female fertility. In an effort to improve the success rate of IVF and assisted reproductive technologies, researchers at Baylor College of Medicine in Texas, have been investigating exactly what is involved in successful embryo implantation. […]

9 years ago

A new survey has revealed that children are spending the equivalent of 12 days straight staring at screens. How do you get your children away from the television or the computer?

9 years ago

The year is flying by and we’re already slap bang in the middle of the June Bank Holiday weekend. The school holidays will be upon us in the blink of an eye, but don’t panic HerFamily are already one step ahead with your summer camp options. We have taken a voyage of discovery into summer camp options […]

9 years ago

A home-cooked meal beats any boring canteen purchase or shop-buy every time. Nutrition aside, eating out every day is an expensive habit. There are plenty of cool lunchboxes in all shapes and sizes available these days so there’s really no excuse for not packing a healthy, tasty lunch to bring to school or to work. Whether you […]

9 years ago

An Australia mum was shocked to discover that her son’s school picture had been photoshopped to remove his “gappy grin” without her permission. Ange Pickett revealed in a blog post that her eight-year-old son’s adorable smile had been photoshopped to replace his missing teeth. As the mum-of-two rightly points out “surely we have lost the plot when we […]

9 years ago

A new international study has found that engaging with young children while reading books to them gives their brain a cognitive boost. While reading to children has many benefits, simply speaking the words aloud may not be enough to improve cognitive development in preschoolers, according to a new international study, published in the journal PLOS ONE. Researchers […]

9 years ago

Highly respected consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, Dr Peter Boylan, who resigned from the executive board of the National Maternity Hospital in the row over ownership and governance, says it’s now time to end religious teaching in schools. Dr Boylan, the former Master of the National Maternity Hospital who has delivered over six thousand babies in his time, hit the […]

9 years ago

Having a baby is a wonderful thing – a few lows, but plenty of highs… and certainly (in the best possible ways) your life will never be the same again. If you’re pregnant, you might be considering breastfeeding too – and that decision can throw a spanner into the works. Because many mothers find the […]

9 years ago

Welcome to week 30 of your pregnancy! This week, your baby is as big as a cabbage. Here’s what else you can expect this week. You baby At 30 weeks, your baby is about 40 centimetres long and weighs around 1.4 kilograms. Those tiny fingernails are fully formed, and their brain is getting wrinkly – […]

9 years ago

Brought to you by Lidl Flavoursome meat with plenty of spuds – men are fairly basic creatures when it comes to food. A home-cooked Sunday roast is a sure-fire route to Dad’s heart and it’s the perfect way to mark Father’s Day. You can’t go wrong with a chicken; cut slits on the breast and […]

9 years ago

Brought to you by Lidl Don’t wait for clear blue skies for your back garden barbeque, ‘cos it may never happen. As long as it’s not pouring rain, the weather shouldn’t put a damper on your outdoor cooking. Nothing tastes better than flamed-grilled grub and the little ones love it just as much as we […]

9 years ago

The bacteria in a child’s gut appears to be influenced as early as its first year by their ethnicity and breastfeeding, according to new research emerging from Canada. The study, recently published in Genome Medicine, analysed stool samples from 173 white caucasian and 182 South Asian one-year-olds recruited from two birth cohort studies (CHILD and START), which are […]

9 years ago

Many women see the big four zero as their last chance saloon when it comes to baby-making. Regardless of the reasons for postponing pregnancy until later in life, the fact remains that the chances of getting pregnant at 40 years of age or over are significantly lower. After 45, the possibility of conception is greatly reduced […]

9 years ago

New research has shown that the negative impacts of smoking during pregnancy can last well into children’s future. Prenatal exposure to cigarette smoke is already known to have many negative short-term impacts including premature birth, low birth weight and subsequent behavioural problems. Now, findings from a new study have shown that exposure to as few […]

9 years ago

The trials and tribulations of being a woman, eh? The latest research from Women’s Health says that chances are you could be wearing the entirely wrong size bra. Ladies who reach for a 34B and 36C cup bra, we’re looking at you. Apparently, it’s pretty easy to assume you’re this size, as most people begin […]

9 years ago

Exposure to psychological abuse between parents is more damaging to children’s wellbeing than domestic violence. New research, carried out at University of Limerick, has shown that growing up in a home with psychological abuse has more long-term effects on the wellbeing of children than domestic violence. A scientific paper by Catherine Naughton, Aisling O’Donnell and Orla […]

9 years ago

Once purely the domain of American mommies-to-be, the baby shower now has its feet firmly under the Irish (delivery) table. Baby showers give expectant mamas the opportunity to share a relaxed and enjoyable day with their female friends and rellies before baba arrives. If you have an upcoming shower penciled into the diary, you’ll be […]

9 years ago

“December 3, 2016 is a day that will be forever etched in our hearts,” explains a heartbroken Laurena Meagher, who is grieving for her husband Kevin Fogarty. “What was meant to be a fun-filled family break ended in devastation, as our whole world was turned upside down with the sudden death of Kevin,” she adds. […]

9 years ago

So, last December I had a birthday. I turned. Oh God I can’t say it. Ugh, okay… I turned thirty-five. I had such a bad reaction to my birthday that everyone kept asking me if it was ‘the big one?’. Eh no! Now feck off. People always think I’m older. I can’t figure out if […]

9 years ago

Brought to you by Cadbury Dairy Milk Buttons. OK, we’re gonna officially announce that summer is finally HERE! We know Irish weather is notoriously unreliable, but don’t let that stop you from having a ball with the family this weekend. If you’re clever you can sneak in a bit of cultural education disguised as entertainment; […]

9 years ago

Brought to you by Cadbury Dairy Milk Buttons OK, we’re gonna officially announce that summer is finally HERE! Here comes the summer! We’ve got some ideas on how to keep the whole family amused this weekend, so you have loads of choice close to home or further afield. Hop in the car; pack some tasty […]

9 years ago

Welcome to week 29 of your pregnancy! This week, your baby is as big as a butternut squash. Here’s what else you can expect this week. Your baby At 29 weeks, your baby is approximately 38 centimetres long and weighs about 1.2 kilograms. The little one is developing more fat under the skin, making those […]

9 years ago

There once existed a time, before helicopter parenting, when the best that we could ask for was to just raise a good kid. Good kids are the parental Holy Grail. But, just like Indiana Jones, we can spend a lot of time searching. In between times, we all worry that our parenting is going horribly, […]

9 years ago

With my youngest child – and only girl – set for Junior Infants in September, I’m practically giddy at the thought of purchasing a pinafore. Sad, I know, but the thoughts of finally getting to dress Her Ladyship in her little socks, skirt, and cardigan, is highly appealing to me despite the fact that her […]

9 years ago

Do you know the difference between a cougar and a panther? No, I’m not asking you to brush up on your David Attenborough impression. Cougars, panthers, and MILFS are all popular labels for women of a certain age who attract younger men. Labels that some wear with pride, but others would prefer to see disappear […]

9 years ago

Podcasts are the new television. Entertainment in handy instalments, we love ’em as we can dip in and out (when we have time) and binge-listen while we mamma-multi-task. If you’re not up to date, or wondering what all the hype is about, fear not we’re here to help with our pick of the best… 1. My […]

9 years ago

Having a baby can really stretch your finances… and we all know that little surprises can sometimes come at the worst times. Nappies, formula, accessories, buggies, and childcare can soon take a big chunk out of your paycheque – so much so that it can be a struggle to make ends meet. However, in our […]

9 years ago

Last week was glorious, but looking outside over the past number of days, it’s certainly been less so. With summer holidays on the horizon, we’ve lately been considering the possibility that we’ll need to entertain cabin-fever children when it’s raining out (and no, sticking an iPad into their hands doesn’t count). Yes, if the dreaded […]

9 years ago

When it comes to looking after children, we all want to do what’s best for them. But sometimes, it can be hard to address certain topics with your  kids. For example, how do you talk to your child about obesity and weight-loss in a healthy way? How do you encourage them to be happy within […]

9 years ago

Keep rubbing that bump mamas-to-be! Ultrasound research has shown that babas recognise their mother’s touch while they are still in the womb. Researchers from the University of Dundee’s Psychology department have used 4D ultrasound videos to record how babies in utero react to different people touching their mum’s tummy. Their heartwarming findings revealed that babies were most likely […]

9 years ago

New Irish research has shown that the body mass index (BMI) of a child’s mother may influence teachers’ perceptions of the academic ability of that child. Research carried out by a team from NUI Galway and Queens University Belfast has found evidence that parental obesity influences teachers’ perceptions of a child’s academic ability. The study showed […]

9 years ago

Who knew 2017 would turn out to be the best retro telly year ever? Hands up who is LOVING the return of early 90s television? This month saw Twin Peaks back where it belongs, on our screens. It is over 25 years since Agent Cooper first started investigating the murder of homecoming queen Laura Palmer, but Kyle MacLachlan and […]

9 years ago

There is only one person whose nutrition matters in your house right now, and that’s the baby. Breast or bottle, feeding takes centre stage. You’re lucky to get anything into you at all, which makes for some fairly weird meal choices. Here are some of the tried and tested quickies for hungry mamas. A stalwart […]

9 years ago

It turns out that respecting our elders could be bad for us… A surprising new report, published in the British Medical Journal, has shown that having an older doctor can be harmful to your health. In fact, it can be terminal. Although many of us believe that age brings wisdom and experience, researchers from Harvard […]

9 years ago

Welcome to week 28 of your pregnancy! This week, your baby is as big as a pineapple. Here’s what else you can expect this week. Your baby As the third trimester begins your baby is now around 38 centimetres long and weighing approximately 1 kilogram. Their eyelids can open, and your little one is beginning […]

9 years ago

There’ll come a day when your kids would rather eat bees than to be seen in public with you. Shocking, we know, but seemingly true. So should you be in possession of a child aged under 12, be sure to hug them extra close… because soon enough physical contact from their parents will be decidedly […]

9 years ago

Eating too much sugar at any point in your life isn’t good for you but it seems that you really need to watch your intake when you are pregnant. According to Science Daily, a study has found that consuming large amounts of fructose during pregnancy could have an impact on your kids and future generations. […]

9 years ago

The grownup gap year is the new mid-life crisis and I want one. Standby for a first-world whinge… I was a young wife and a young mum and I missed out on the whole backpacking thing. Now mid-thirties, I’m desperately trying to figure out how to get my gap year back. Of course, the answer […]

9 years ago

They are the most precious package you will ever have to mind. And that comes with a huge amount of responsibility and quite a few bumps and bruises along the way. From bumped heads, scraped knees and the odd whack to the back of the head from a sibling, as my children got older, my […]

9 years ago

Reading to your baby lets you SIT DOWN for a minute. Oh yes, and it’s also very good for them. Functional MRI studies show reading does wonders for a child’s learning ability; language development and understanding. Read early and often – here’s your HerFamily guide to getting started: Snuggle up together when you read. Babies […]

9 years ago